The Sleeper
by Ren201
Summary: Hi, my name's Sydney and I died two years ago. When Group Therapy goes wrong.


Title: The Sleeper  
  
Author: Ren201  
  
Spoilers: At least up to 3.02 (season 3).  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Alias or anyone else, etc.  
  
Author's note: For this to make sense, you only really need to know that Sydney has been missing for two years, Vaughn is married to Lauren, Jack is out of Solitary and Dixon is Director now. The rest will be revealed or changed, not sure yet.  
  
A/N: This is basically the 'group' therapy scene with some added stuff. The plot really surrounds this scene. I guess that this is just a sample to see what people think, which is why it's short.  
  
A/N: Thank you and dedication to Egyptian Kat, who read through the (short) story and persuaded me to post. R&R!  
  
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"Ok, today we have a new member to the group. Everyone, this is Sydney." Jean announced, as she tentatively looked towards Sydney.  
  
Sydney had never caught her last name; in all honesty she didn't really care, she was simply 'Jean'. There were too many issues that couldn't be resolved by long, intrusive conversations in 'group therapy'. Even if she wanted to talk about her life, she couldn't. It was painful to know that what she was going through was real and she knew that if she spoke to people about it, her fears would be confirmed. She would have died two years; her life as she once knew it would be gone. She would have to start fresh, without the home comforts she had come accustomed to. Without Vaughn.  
  
She had been told that it would help knowing that other people had been through the same things that she had, it only made things worse. It only made her dwell on what had happened in her life. It made her realise that her life was tainted. It had made her see all of the faults I her life.  
  
"Is there anything you would like to say Sydney?" Jean asked, pulling her out of her troubled thoughts.  
  
"No, it just helps to listen right now." Sydney replied as she resisted the urge to cry. Tightening her jaw, she looked towards the people around her, giving them a small smile, indicating that they should carry on talking.  
  
"How long have you been back?" Jean asked gently, looking towards Sydney sympathetically.  
  
"A little over 2 weeks now." Sydney replied as she shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to rid herself of the questions that were being thrown at her.  
  
"Have the nightmares started yet?" The man sitting opposite asked. She couldn't quite remember his name, although she vaguely remembered someone calling him Sam. The one thing she did remember about him was his face. There was so much sadness and defeat in his face that it was almost unbearable to look at him. His face betrayed his true feelings, and yet he tried so hard to hide them behind a sympathetic façade, Sydney almost felt herself connect to him.  
  
"No, no they haven't." Sydney replied, as she thought about what her nightmares could entail and how they would effect her memory. Briefly allowing her mind to travel back to her last memory before he 'died'.  
  
An abrupt vibrating pulled Sydney out of her thoughts, as she pulled her beeper out from her waistband and glanced at the number displayed on the small screen.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I have to go." Sydney quickly said as moved out of her chair, pulling her bag with her as she prepared herself to leave the group.  
  
"Ok. We meet again next Monday Sydney, we'll see you then, ok?" Jean said as she watched Sydney hurriedly gather herself and leave the room.  
  
Sydney turned back towards the group and briefly smiled before she left the room.  
  
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Thankful that she was called away from the 'group', Sydney waited impatiently for the elevator to reach her floor.  
  
"Sydney?" Sam called after her, unsure of how she would react to his presence, not wanting to startle her.  
  
Instead of replying, Sydney merely smiled in response and gave the man before her questioning gaze.  
  
"I just wanted to give you this." Sam replied as he handed her a small white card "I know that it's difficult, and I know how intimating group therapy can be. I just wanted to give you my number so that you have someone to talk to. Someone who understands." Sam continued, as there was a sudden ping, to alert them of the elevator's arrival.  
  
Sydney was touched by the gesture and took the card and in return offered Sam a genuine smile.  
  
"Thank you. This means a lot. I'm sorry but I have to go. Thank you, I really appreciate the offer." Sydney said as she stepped into the elevator and pressed the appropriate number.  
  
"I hope I see you around again and remember my offer." Sam replied as he moved away from the closing doors and pulled out his cell phone. Waiting until he was sure that Sydney was gone, he quickly punched a set of memorised numbers into the keypad.  
  
"It's Sam. I've made contact." 'Sam' replied as he spoke into his cell phone, using the alias he had been given, waiting for confirmation on what he had just said.  
  
"Very well. I'll be in contact concerning your next move."  
  
"Yes Sir."  
  
"Don't let her get away. Win her trust and use her weaknesses against her. Have you received her file yet?"  
  
"Yes Sir. I'll wait further instruction."  
  
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A/N: So what did you think. I know I have other stories to update, but I had to write this one, because it's been in my head for ages, demanding to be realised. lol. R&R  
  
It's short, I know and I've used a lot of the dialect from the show, but Review anyway! Tell me what you think! OR else! 


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